Helm(God)
He of the Unsleeping Eyes, the Watcher, the Vigilant, the Vigilant One, the Great Guard, the God of Guardians Intermediate Power of Mechanus LN PORTFOLIO: Guardians, protectors, protection ALIASES: None DOMAIN NAME: Nirvana/Everwatch SUPERIOR: None ALLIES: Arvoreen, Clangeddin Silverbeard, Cyrrollalee, Gaerdal Ironhand, Gorm Gulthyn, Moradin, Torm, Yondalla FOES: Bane (now dead), Bhaal (now dead), Garagos, Mask, Shar, Talos SYMBOL: An open, staring eye with a blue pupil and outline painted on the back of a right-hand war gauntlet or the palm of a left-hand war gauntlet WORSHIPPERS ALIGNMENT: LG, NG, CG, LN, N, CN Helm (HELM) is the epitome of the guardian, the watcher, the guard, and has in years past been greatly venerated by those who need to remain watchful for evil at their doorsteps,. He was one of a much more powerful god, but has fallen upon hard times through two actions. During the Time of Troubles, Helm was left with his powers and ordered to hold the gates to the Outer Planes against the other powers of the Realms when the other deities were stripped of their power and confined to the surface of Abeir-Toril. Helm did so all too successfully, and much of the resulting destruction and deific turmoil caused by the many divine deaths of the Godswar is laid at his feet. Helm remained strong in the South, but experienced a further setback when his priests became deeply involved in an invasion of the True World of Maztica. Their unflinching and often brutal actions counted further against the god's reputation. Because of the inflexible and cold reputation those actions gained him, Helm's star is fading at a time when Term and Gond are attracting new followers. Helm is difficult to understand and is often viewed as emotionless, heartless, and devoted only to his duty or goal at the cost of all mortal consideration. While he is devoted to the point of obsession, he is not heartless, but merely a stern disciplinarian. He is fond of children and has been known to be most uncharacteristically lenient (for Helm) when dealing with small infractions by them or on their behalf. In attempting to comprehend Helm's driven nature, many mortal sages have attempted to account for him throwing himself into his work by blaming his behavior on a broken heart caused by long-unrequited or spurned love. Others say he lost a great love to tragedy or eternally grieves for a lost relative, such. as a brother, sister, ot child. Still others account for his behavior more coldly as a burning ambition to become the greatest of deities. Helm has never given credence to any of these theories, as he considers such speculations frivolous use of time that could be spent more honestly at productive work. Other Manifestations Helm often manifests as an upright, palm-out metal gauntlet making a "stop" or warding gesture or a closed, watchful war helm. From such images emanate heal or imbue with spell ability spells to aid or empower guardians, defensive magical barriers, wardmist magics, fields that reveal illusions and hidden or disguised attackers for what they truly are, and beams that force out-of-phase, ethereal, astral, or otherwise inaccessible beings fully into phase on the Prime Material Plane on Faerun so they can be attacked by guardians. It is rare for offensive spells to lash out from a manifestation of Helm, hut it has occurred. Most often such spells come from the war helm apparition and tend to be thin beams of lightning. When Helm manifests, all guardians and defenders within 10 miles wake up and become alert. He banishes all sleepiness, weakness, nausea, or magics that place guardians and defenders under the influence of others (such as charm spells). These conditions are ended, not merely suspended while the power of Helm is present. Helm also sometimes works through the presence or action of einheriar, helmed horrors, spectators, maruts, watchghosts, and living steels. In addition, Helm can choose to send vivid warnings in dreams, and if a believer sleeps touching an unsheathed weapon, the visions imparted to the believer by Helm can sometimes also be seen by the next being to touch the weapon, regardless of how much time has passed. Weapons consecrated to Helm can also thrum, sing, glow, dance, or vibrate in warning when the god desires them to. The Church CLERGY: Clerics, Specialty Priests, Crusaders, Monks, Paladins CLERGY'S ALIGNMENT: LG, LN, N TURN UNDEAD: Cleric: Yes, Specialty Priest: Yes, Crusader: No, Monk: No, Paladin: Yes COMMAND UNDEAD: Cleric: No, Specialty Priest: No, Crusader: No, Monk: No, Paladin: No All clerics, specialty priests, crusaders, and monks of Helm receive religion (Faerûnian) as a bonus nonweapon proficiency. Prior to the Time of Troubles, Helm was a well-respected faith in most areas of the North. Its large temple complexes were usually situated near dangerous and evil areas (such as Darkhold) and were regarded as a first line of defense against evil people and creatures. Wracked by defections in the wake of the Time of Troubles, active persecution in the North by those angry that Helm forced the destructive divine avatars to remain in Faerun, and military and popularity losses related to the invasion of the True World (Maztica), the Vigilant or Watchful Ones (priests of Helm) have been in decline. They have only recently begun to recover popular favor and influence, strength, and organization under the unflinching, no-excuses leadership of the veteran priests of Helm from before the Time of Troubles known as the Tested and True. Most of these folk are people of inflexible beliefs and loyalty. They believe that Helm is the most favored of all the powers, for he was chosen to retain his powers to discipline the others. Fighting their way back from a reputation that brands many dead magic areas "the Legacy of Helm," the Tested and the True are having a tough time, but one which their strong discipline and the almost military hierarchy of the church of Helm are well suited to handle. All know their position by their rank within the church of Helm, and Helm himself sets the goals for his high priests and priestesses, determining what temples, abbeys, and shrines are to cooperate with each other in which ongoing efforts. Titles used by the clergy of Helm are (in ascending order of ranks: Novice, Adept, Trusty, Alert, Watchknight, Guardian, Overblade, High have been adopted only since the Time of Troubles, and members of the Tested and True and Watchers (specialty priests, derisively known as "Godseyes") have been allowed to retain any older, personal, or variant titles. Clergy who lead or occupy an important office in a temple, abbey, or monastery may also bear additional titles pertaining to their duties. Dogma: "He also serves who stands and waits and watches carefully" and "Careful planning always defeats rushed actions in the end" are popular sayings of Helm's faithful. Novices of Helm are charged to be vigilant and to he fair and diligent in the conduct of their orders. They must protect the weak, the unpopular, the injured, and the young and not sacrifice them for others. They must anticipate attacks and he ready, know their foes, and care carefully for their weapons so that their weapons" can perform their duties properly when called upon. "Never betray your trust" is the guiding phrase for faithful of Helm. This philosophy extends to thinking about how best to guard and protect, both in terms of weapons and the deployment of guardians, and to anticipating what attacks may come and having a practiced plan ready to deal with such threats. The faithful and the priests of Helm train and exercise so as to always be able to carry out their duties as best they can. Helmites always obey orders, provided those orders follow the dictates of Helm. Helm's wishes are often revealed to his faithful in response to on-the-spot prayer (often via an omen spell). He is very responsive in sending guiding vision, especially when his faithful face conflicting orders or directives, even from his senior clergy. The thought of commanding undead rather than turning them or destroying them is abhorrent to Helm, and so his clergy are not allowed to do so and would never dream of trying. This difference in philosophy is a major factor in the rivalry between his church and that of Torm. Day-to-Day Activities: Helmite clergy believe they can win back the rightful power of Helm only through demonstrated excellence of vigilance and purity of loyalty in their roles as guardians and protectors. They have set about trying to train bodyguards everywhere and spreading the word that only Helm-tested worshipers of the God of Guardians are truly worthy and reliable to their masters. Holy Days/Important Ceremonies: The Helmite faith always holds a Ceremony of Honor to Helm on each Shieldmeet, but its members observe no other calendar-related rituals to the God of Guardians. On a daily basis, worshipers of Helm should always pray to the Vigilant One upon awakening and before composing themselves for slumber. A faithful worshiper who poses a question to the god typically receives some sort of (often cryptic) guidance in dream visions. Helm may also grace a nonbeliever who is growing interested in his faith with such visions. Major Centers of Worship: The most prominent center of Helm's faith is the Noble Hand in Tsurlagol. The Noble Hand is both a temple and a training school for professional guards. It flourishes under High Watchful Weaponmaster Ellym "Catsjaw" Thourin, a retired adventurer of some reputation. Helm's worship is also still very strong in the Vilhon Reach and also in the South. The Temple of the Vigilant Guard in Iljak, led by Battle Marshal Senior Steeleye Tonorak Winthrax, is a bastion of the Helmite faith in the Vilhon Reach. Affiliated Orders: The members of the Companions of the One True Vision, an order of Helmite clerics, fighters, and crusaders, were known for being unswervingly loyal shock troops able to follow orders asking them to engage the most difficult objectives without breaking and hold the most trying positions against overwhelming odds. Recently, however, members of this order, many of whom served in the Helmite actions in Maztica, have taken a beating in popular reputation. Other affiliated Helmite orders include a small fellowship of battlefield healers known as the Watchers Over the Fallen, a group of dedicated bodyguards whom Helmite temples hire out to others to generate revenue called the Everwatch Knights, and an order of paladins called the Vigilant Eyes of the God. Priestly Vestments: Priests of Helm wear spotless, shining, (often everbright-enchanted), unblemished full plate armor with open-faced helms (a visor reduces vision). Often the helms are topped with plumes. Such armor may be accessorized with red cloaks and tabards of steel gray, and Such garments-or the armor itself - may be adorned with the Unsleeping Eye in the center of both back and breast. In southern regions, Helmite clergy members often wear the finest full plate armor set with gems and worked with gold filigree in designs that accentuate great golden eyes set in the centers of their chests (on the breastplates) and hacks. In areas where heavily armored clerics are frowned on, the armor is reduced to a set of heavy shoulder plates, but the helm remains in any case. Adventuring Garb: Because of the useful nature of the ceremonial gear of the priests of Helm, it is worn in the field as well as for ceremonial purposes, unless it is decorated with such costly materials that the priest fears it will attract thieves, in which case a more utilitarian version of the same full plate armor is worn. In either case, the armor is dominated by i he symbol of Helm's eye on the chest, often shown in a sunburst or as the topmost level of a stepped pyramid. Specialty Priests Watchers REQUIREMENTS: Strength 14, Wisdom 13 PRIME REQUISITES: Strength, Wisdom ALIGNMENT: LN WEAPONS: All bludgeoning (wholly Type B) weapons ARMOR: All armor types up to and including full plate armor and shield MAJOR SPHERES: All, Astral, Combat, Divination, Guardian, Protection, Sun, Wards MINOR SPHERES: Creation, Elemental, Healing, War MAGICAL ITEMS: Same as clerics, plus the use of crystal balls as wizards REQUIRED PROFICIENCIES: None BONUS PROFICIENCIES: Blind-fighting, Etiquette The ceremonial vestment of a watcher is a suit of full plate armor and a shield. Watchers receive a suit of full plate armor, an open-faced great helm, and a medium shield for free at 1st level. Watchers must wear their full plate armor or no armor at all except in emergencies or when specially sanctioned by a senior clergy member or high priest. Wearing other armor is not forbidden but is sanctioned by severe disapproval in the ranks of the church for minor infringements. (Violators are assigned boring or unpleasant duties.) Repeated violations arc frowned on by Helm himself, who then imposes a -50% experience point penalty to alt activities a watcher undertakes in other armor and refuses to grant new spells to the offending watcher until she or he atones and behaves properly. Therefore, if anything happens to the full plate armor of a watcher, she or he must make every effort to acquire a new set or wear no armor at all unless in the most dire circumstances (such as where lack of armor would result in them failing at their trust) or on a holy mission for their church. Watchers gain an advantage against being surprised. A watcher gets a +2 bonus on his or her surprise roll. If accompanied by others who are not watchers, this is reduced to a +1. This benefit is not cumulative with other advantages to surprise, but it may be affected by penalties. For instance, a lone, unarmored elf thief trying to sneak up on a watcher would still cause the watcher to subtract 4 from his or her surprise roll, hut this is cumulative with the watcher's +2 bonus. Watchers may create a short-term glyph of warding (as the 3rd-level priest spell) once a day that lasts only one day per level. Watchers may choose the effects of these glyphs from those spells they would be capable of casting at their current level, regardless of the sphere of the spell involved. This allows them to create glyphs based on any spell not specific to a particular church or group that a priest of their level could cast. At 3rd level, watchers are able to cast sentry of Helm (as the 1st-level priest spell) or wyvern watch (as the second-level priest spell) once a day. At 5th level, watchers are able to cast mace of Odo or exaltation (as the 3rd-level priest spells) once a day. At 7th level, watchers are able to cast seeking sword (as the 4th-level priest spell) once a day. At 7th level, watchers can make three melee attacks every two rounds. At 10th level, watchers are able to summon spectator (as the 5th-level priest spell) once a tenday. At 13th level, watchers can make two melee attacks per round. Helmite Spells 1st Level Sentry of Helm (Conjuration/Summoning) Sphere: Guardian, Travelers Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 8 hours or until triggered Casting Time: 1 hour Area of Effect: 120-foot-diameter sphere Saving Throw: None This spelt was created by the priests ot Helm to aid in guard duty while most members of a group of travelers in the wild lire sleeping. Like the 1st-level wizard spell unseen servant, this spell creates an invisible, mindless, and shapeless force. This force cannot fight and, unlike an unseen servant, it cannot affect its physical surrounding except as indicated below. The priest casts this spell by walking the perimeter of the area of effect sprinkling pinches of sand every few feet and then returning to the center of the area ot effect. Once the spellcasting is completed, the shadowy sentry stands guard in the center of the area of effect arid the caster immediately falls asleep. If any visible object over 1 foot in length, width, or height which was not present during the casting of the spelt enters the area of effect while the spell is in operation or if the spell is about to end, the shadowy force silently shakes the caster awake. When the caster awakes, the priest is wide awake and aware that something has triggered the sentry or that the spell has ended. The spell then immediately expires. A visible object must be an object that a guard could have perceived with normal vision if she or he had been awake and on guard duty. Visible objects cannot be invisible, hiding in shadows, or hidden behind walls, trees, or earth. If this spell is cast by a priest of 5th level or higher, the sentry of Helm also has 60-foot infravision in addition to normal sight, and what is visible to it includes beings seen with that faculty. The material component of this spell is the priest's holy symbol and a small bag of fine sand. 3rd Level Exaltation (Abjuration, Conjuration/Summoning) Sphere: Combat, Healing Range: Touch Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Creature touched Saving Throw: Special This spell enables a priest to aid and protect any one other being. The priest cannot cast this spell upon himself or herself. By touch, the caster removes the effects of fear, sleep, feeblemindedness, hunger, pain, nausea, unconsciousness, intoxication, and insanity from the spell recipient (who may be of any alignment or faith). The recipient is protected against spells and other attacks that cause these effects for the duration of the spell. Such effects are negated, not postponed until the spell expires. When this spell is cast on a being of a different alignment and faith than the caster, the recipient must make a saving throw vs. spell even if willing to have the spell cast on him or her. If the saving throw is successful, the spell is lost and has no effect. If the spell recipient is of the same alignment as the priest but of a different faith, the saving throw is at a -4 penalty. If the spell is successful, the exalted recipient receives a +1 morale bonus to any morale checks and +1 reaction adjustment for surprise checks for the spell duration. If the spell recipient worships the same deity as the caster but is of another alignment, the saving throw is at a -6 penalty. A successfully exalted recipient gets a +1 morale bonus to any morale checks for the spell duration. A recipient of the same faith and alignment as the caster need make no saving throw, gets a +2 morale bonus to any morale checks for the spell duration, and-if the caster desires-radiates a white, blue-white, or amber radiance for the duration of the spelt. If the radiance is desired, ir is evoked immediately and cannot be ended before the spell expires. The material components for this spell are a flask of holy water and a powdered sapphire or diamond of at least 1,000 gp value. Forceward (Abjuration) Sphere: Wards Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Sphere of 10-foot-radius/level Saving Throw: Special This spell creates a spherical area of protection. The air within glows faintly. This radiance is barely visible in full sunlight, but the area is clearly lit in darkness. When forceward is cast, all creatures except those touched or named by the priest in the spellcasting must make a saving throw vs. spell or he forced away from the caster for 10 feet per level of the caster, withdrawing immediately. This forceward is then fixed at a location centered on the where the caster was when the spell was completed; it does not move with the caster. Warded creatures must remain outside the protected area for the spell duration unless they make a successful saving throw vs. spell at a -3 penally to break into the warded area. Creatures attempting to break in are allowed one such saving throw per round. Any creature breaking through the forceward may move and act freely within its confines, hut cannot confer freedom from the forceward to others, even by attempting to drag them along. Any creature may freely leave tin" warded area but must successfully make a saving throw vs. spell (with the -3 penalty) to reenter, even il originally designated as protected when the spell was cast or if successful earlier in breaching the forceward. Missiles and spells may be launched freely info and out of the warded area. The forceward ends instantly il the casting priest leaves its confines, is slain or rendered unconscious, or wills the ward out of existence. The caster may engage in spellcasting without affecting the forceward; continuous concentration is not required to maintain it. A successful dispel magic spell destroys a forceward instantly. The material components are a string of gems, rock crystals, or glass heads, plus the caster's holy symbol. Mace of Odo (Evocation) Sphere: Combat Range: 0 Components: V, S, M Duration: Until it successfully strikes or 4 rounds, whichever comes first Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: One magical macelike construct Saving Throw: Special This spell enables a priest to create a magical mace in his or her hand. A mace of Odo is actually a mace-shaped construct offeree. It is translucent, but glows bright white. Its radiance equal in effect to a light spell, though it cannot be extinguished by darkness spells. The mace of Odo can be wielded immediately when casting is complete, or it can he held for up to three rounds. All spells cast directly at the bearer of a mace of Odo are absorbed harmlessly by the mace; area-of-effect spells are not affected by the mace. A mace of Odo strikes at a +5 bonus to attack rolls and does 3d6 points of damage to most creatures; it docs 4d6 points of damage to undead creatures. Creatures of 2 HD or less suffer only 1 point of damage when struck by a mace of Odo but must make a successful saving throws vs. paralyzation or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 turns. Whenever a mace of Odo successfully strikes or four rounds after the round of its casting (whichever comes first), the mace vanishes instantly in a burst of white radiance equal to a continual light spell. The material components for this spell are a stone, a piece of wood, and two drops of holy water. 4th Level Seeking Sword (Evocation) Sphere: Combat Range: 30 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: 2 rounds/level Casting Time: 7 Area of Effect: One magical swordlike construct Saving Throw: None This spell brings into being a shimmering blade of force that appears as a sword of any description the caster desires, typically a broad sword. The sword forms in midair and is animated by the will of the caster (who need never touch it), flashing about as it attacks. The blade is silent and moves at MV FL 96 (A), although it cannot move beyond spell range from the caster. The blade can strike four times per round, doing 2d4 points of damage with each successful hit. Although it has no attack bonuses, a .seeking sword is considered a +4 magical weapon for determining what sorts of beings it can strike. It can strike nonliving objects and can be wielded dexterously enough to lift latches, slide bolts open or shut, turn pages of books, and so on. The caster may freely move (he sword from target to target unless physical or magical harriers (such as a wall of force) are in the way, but the caster must concentrate on the blade to maintain its existence and direct it. Other spellcasting is impossible while maintaining the spell, though the caster may move at half his or her normal movement rate per round while doing so. A seeking sword moves with Strength enough to parry and hold hack another blade wielded by a strong human or humanoid. It can he used to shatter glass objects, spike open doors, puncture sacks, or search for unseen opponents by sweeping through apparently empty spaces or across windowsills and thresholds. The material components for this spell are a drop of mercury and a human hair. 5th Level Summon Spectator (Conjuration/Summoning) Sphere: Summoning, Protection Range: 70 yards Components: V, S, M Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round Area of Effect: Special Saving Throw: None The annals of the church of Helm relate that in ancient times Helm, He of the Unsleeping Eyes, created the ultimate guardian to assist his necessarily fallible human followers. This creature, known as a spectator, appeared as a large orb dominated by an unblinking central eye with four stalks sprouting from the top of the orb to watch in each of the cardinal directions. In a dark time in the church's distant history, the forces of evil gained the upper hand for a while. During this bleak period, various gods of evil corrupted Helm's creations into the horrors known as beholders and their kin. Priests of Bane claim this is so much hogwash; they believe that the Black Lord created the eye tyrants as the ultimate rulers, and spectators are Helm's poor attempt at copying Bane's magnificent creation. The truth is unknown, although priests of Helm are known to destroy beholders and their kin wherever possible, and the remaining priests of Bane (and Xvim) return the favor to spectators whenever possible. This spell enables priests of Helm to summon nearly infallible guardians to assist in their ordained tasks. Summon spectator summons one of Helm's spectator servitors from Mechanus to the Prime Material Plane to serve for up to 101 years in a specified task. (Spectators are detailed under the Beholder and Beholder-kin entry in the MONSTROUS MANUAL tome.) The task must involve the guarding of some location or inanimate physical object, such as a portal, shrine, or a holy relic. (The scope of things a spectator summoned by summon spectator will guard is broader than what one summoned by the particular variant of the 7th-level wizard spell monster summoning V that normally summons spectators will guard.) It allows no one except the one who summoned it or another priest of Helm to enter the location it is guarding or to use, borrow, or examine an item or treasure it watches over. It is not gullible and can fairly easily detect false claims to membership in Helm's priesthood by questioning such claimants telepathically about details of the church's rituals and beliefs. A summoned spectator does not abandon its post unless slain or blinded in all five eyes, in which case it automatically returns to Helm's tower in Mechanus. Its eyes regenerate in 24 hours, after which time it returns to its post. If the object is gone or the location breached when it returns (it can automatically tell), it again leaves for Mechanus, never to return. The material components for this spell are the priest's holy symbol and a steel gauntlet blessed in the name of Helm; the latter is consumed in the casting. Category:Intermediate deities